ENHANCED THERMOGENESIS IN RATS BY PANAX-GINSENG, MULTIVITAMINS AND MINERALS

Substances which enhance endurance for physical and mental work and in crease non-specific resistance to stress during a prolonged stay in ph ysiologically adverse habitats are called 'adaptogens'. Panax ginseng is well known for its anti-stress and adaptogenic properties. In the p resent study, adaptogenic activity by the intake of a herbo-vitamin-mi neral preparation (HVMP) containing P. ginseng and multivitamin-minera l preparation (MVMP) was evaluated using the cold-hypoxia-restrained ( C-H-R) animal model. The aim was to determine whether the cold toleran ce and recovery from acute hypothermia mediated by P. ginseng was modi fied by simultaneous intake of additional vitamins and minerals. Resul ts suggest that the adaptogenic effect of HVMP was more or less the su m total of its two components P. ginseng and MVMP. In HVMP, P. ginseng was found to be effective for developing resistance to cooling and MV MP helped in stimulating faster recovery from acute hypothermia.